HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Huntsville chef deluxe James Boyce aims "to let the oysters
speak for themselves" at the fifth annual Oyster Cook-Off, in which the restaurateur's
competition will include five finalists from Food Network show "The Next Food
Network Star" and some of the Southeast's best chefs.

Presented by Alabama Gulf Seafood, the Oyster Cook-Off is set
for Nov. 3 at cavernous Gulf Shores restaurant and music venue The Hangout. The
competition celebrates fresh Gulf oysters and has become one of the Alabama
coast's premier culinary events.

Although Alabama boasts only 53 miles of coastline, the state
is historically the nation's largest oyster processor. Averaging over a million
pounds harvested annually since the 1880s, Alabama oysters are one of the
state's most valuable natural resources and a major provider of jobs and
economic thrust.

"At an early age, I was groomed to use the finest of seafood
from throughout the world during my apprenticeship at Le Cirque," Boyce says in
a press release. The Cotton Row, James Steakhouse, Pane e Vino, Café Alana Shay
and Commerce Kitchen kingpin plans to accent his Oyster Cook-Off entries
with "a tart, crispy or a sweet component."

Earlier this week, the Alabama Restaurant Association and
the Alabama Hospitality Association named Boyce its restaurateur of the year.

The fifth annual Oyster Cook-Off contestants will square off
in three categories: Rockefeller, Gulf Coast Cajun and raw. The winner, chosen by a panel of celebrity
judges including al.com food editor David Holloway, walks off with a $10,000
cash prize.